Explosive-engine-starting device.



P. c. DooDY. EXPLOSIVB ENGINE STARTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912. 1,084,541.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

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Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

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i ill-f FREDERICK C. DOODY, OF ST. ONGE, SOUTH DAKOTA.v

EXPLOSIVE-ENGINE-STARTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Y Patgnted Jan. 1?, 1914.

Application filed. May 4, 1912. Serial No. 695,113.

which an engine of this type may be started in operation without the necessity of cranking the same by hand, another object of the` invention being to provide air pressure operating means for starting the engine and which can be also employed for inflating pneumatic tires and for other purposes.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a starting mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on a larger scale showing the compressed air operated clutch. Fig. 3 is a similar view on a plane intersecting the air pumps.A Fig. '4 is a detail sectional view of the startingturbine.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a compressed air reservoir 1 to one side of which a T 2 is coupled as at 3. An elbow7 4 is coupled to the outer end of the T as at 5 and the said coupling 5 is provided with an outwardly tapering air port 6 which forms the seat for a frusto-conical valve 7. This valve is carried by a rod 8 which is pivotally connected as at 9 to a lever` 10 the fulcrum of which is indicated at 11.

A controlling cylinder 12 has its base 13 bolted to the intermediate arm 14 of the T, the said controlling cylinder being in communication with the T. On one side of the controlling cylinder is a fixed stub shaft 15 on which a beveled gear 16 is mounted for revolution. The said beveled gear is provided with a crank member 17. A gear 18 is mounted on a suitable shaft 19 opposite the stub shaft 15 and is provided with a crank member 20. A pair of air pump cylinders 21-22 are connected to the compressed air reservoir 1 by pipes 23 each of which includes a check valve 24. Air compressing plungers or pistons 25-26, respectively, operate in the cylinders 21-22, are provided with suitable valves and are respectively provided with pivotally connected pitmen connected to the crank element 17 of the gear 16 and that of the pitman 28 is connected to the crank element 20 on the gear 18.

A driving pulley 29 is provided,'which, in practice, engages and is driven by the usual 27x28. The outer end of the pitman 27 is belt which operates the fan of the gasolene engine. This driving pulley is provided on its outer side with a frusto-conical friction face 30 and the said driving pulley is mounted for revolution on a tubular shaft 31, the said tubular shaft being mounted in bearings 32. At the inner end of the tubular shaft is abeveled gear 33 which engages the gears 16 and 18. A friction clutch disk 34 is secured on the outer end of the tubular shaft 31 for rotation therewith and is adapted to engage the friction face 30 of the driving pulley 29. A piston 35 operates in the controlling cylinder 12 and is provided with a piston rod 36 which extends vthrough the bore of the tubular shaft 31 and at its outer end is provided wit-h a ball bearing 37 for the said tubular shaft. The outer end of the piston rod bears against the inner side of a cap or hub member 38 with which the friction disk 34 is provided. An adjusting plug 39 has threaded engagement with the outer end of the controlling cylinder 12 as at 40 and is provided with a stuffing box 41 through which the piston rod extends. A coiled spring 42 is arranged in the controlling cylinder 12 and bears between the plug 39 and the piston 35. Normally this spring forces the piston 35 inwardly in the controlling cylinder 12 so as to cause the rod 36 to press the friction clutch 34 against the driving pulley 29 so as to cause the said friction clutch to rotate with the drivino' pulley and thereby rotate the shaft 31 and the gear 33 and, hence, cause the said gear for rotation therewith and is provided with a series of peripherally arranged obliquely disposed pistons 46. The casing 47 of the rotor comprises a pair of members 48 which are bolted together as at 49 and are held by a suitable support 50, an annular chamber 5l being formed in the opposing sides of the members of the turbine casing in which the pistons 46 operate. ln one side of the casing of the starting turbine is an exhaust port 52 and at the opposite side thereof is an inlet port 53 provided with an intake noz- Zle 54. l feed pipe' 55 which, in practice, may be a plurality of suitable lengths of flexible tubing 56 detachably` coupled together as at 57, connects the elbow 4 and the intake nozzle 54 and when the valve 7 is opened by the means hereinafter described, conducts compressed air from the reservoir l through the T 2 and employs the said compressed air to operate the rotor of the starting turbine and, hence, serves to rotate the starting shaft 43 of the engine, so as to set the latter in operation. c

A starting segment or bell crank 5S is pivotally mounted as at 59 on a support 60 which is here shown as secured to and projecting `from the coupling 3 and the T 2. A rod 6l is pivotally connected to the starting segment as at 62 and to the outer longer arm of the lever l0 as at 63. A starting rod 64, which, in practice, is connected to a suitable foot lever is pivotally connected to the starting segment or bell crank 58 as at 65. It will be understood that when the foot lever is operated, the rod 64 causes the segment 5S to turn suiliciently in one direction to cause the rod 61 to actuate the lever l0 and thereby open the valve 7, thus admitting compressed air from the reservoir l to the starting turbine and causing the latter to operate to start the engine in the manner hereinbefore stated.

No 'mally the valve 7 is closed. rlhe driving pulley 29 is operated by the fan belt at all times when the engine is in motion. Then there is suiiicient air pressure in the reservoir and in the controlling cylinder l2 to cause the piston 35 to move the piston rod 36 outwardly against lthe tension of the spring 42 and thereby disengage the clutch member 34 from the driving pulley 29, the air compressing` pumps are inoperative. When, however, the pressure in the compressed air apparatus diminishes so that the spring' 42 moves the piston 45 inwardly in the controlling cylinder l2, the clutch member 34 becomes engaged with the revolving, driving pulley '29 and, hence, causes the shaft 3l and gear 33, together with said clutch member to rotate with the driving pulley 29 and thereby cause the crank gears 16-18 to operate the pistons or plungers of the air compressing pumps so as to supply the reservoir i with compressed air and increase the pressure therein.V As soon as the air pressure becomes great enough to cause the piston 35 to overcome the action of the spring 42, the clutch member 34 becomes disengaged from the pulley 29 and the an' compressing pumps cease to operate.

By adjusting the controlling plug 39 inwardly or outwardly in the controlling cylinder l2 so as to vary the` tension of the spring 42, as may be required, the apparatus can be adjusted so as to automatically control the pressure' of the compressed air in the reservoir tank and, it will be understood that the apparatus operates automatically to maintain the compressed air at the desired degree of compression.

1While I have herein shown and described a preferred iorm of my invention, I would have it understood that changes may be made in the form, construction and proportion of the several parts without departing from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim The combination of air compressing mechanism, a controlling cylinder in com munication therewith, a driving wheel, a tubul-ar shaft on which the driving wheel is mounted for rotation, a piston in the controlling cylinder actuated by pressure in one direction, a spring to move the piston in the reverse direction on a diminution of pressure, a rod connected to the piston and eX- tending through the tubular shaft, a clutch member connected to the piston rod and arranged to engage and disengage the driving wheel, and a gear on the tubular shaft connected to and actuating the air compressing mechanism.

In testimony whereorp l aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED. C. DOODY.

TWitnesses ED. FANNING, F. N. HEADLEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 11C. 

